Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-10-11-Speech-4-135"
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"en.20071011.19.4-135"2
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"The distribution of seats in Parliament between the Member States is not based on objective population figures but on promises made in the past and on negotiations that have been won or lost. That is why the large countries – France, Italy and the United Kingdom – always have the same number of seats despite having different populations, as do Spain and Poland. The same applies to Greece, Portugal, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Some countries are underrepresented, such as the Netherlands, which was foolish enough in 2000 to settle for fewer seats in Parliament in exchange for more votes in the Council. We support the rapporteurs’ proposal because it is closer to a fair distribution than previous proposals. We reject all the amendments that want a less fair distribution, no matter who they favour, or that make a distinction between ‘citizens’ and other inhabitants when calculating the population of each country. We support the amendments that automatically couple the future distribution of seats to the populations of the Member States. We reject future reductions in the number of seats per Member State if they do not result from population decrease, but from the maximum of 750 seats or from the search for scope to elect a proportion of Members from transnational lists. With that proviso we vote in favour."@en1
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